The present invention relates to digital image processing and in particular discloses the production of artistic effects in images utilising restricted gamut spaces.
Further the present invention relates to the field of digital image processing and in particular discloses the production of useful artistic effects.
Almost any artistic painting of a scene utilises a restricted gamut in that the artist is limited in the colours produced as a result of the choice of medium in rendering the image. This restriction is itself often exploited by the artist to produce various artistic effects. Classic examples of this process include the following well known artistic works:
Camille Pissaro xe2x80x9cL""île Lacroix à Rouen, effect de brouillardxe2x80x9d 1888. Museum of Art, Philadelphia
Charles Angrand xe2x80x9cLe Seine à L""aubexe2x80x9dxe2x80x941889 collection du Petit Palais, Genxc3xa9ve
Henri van de Velde xe2x80x9cCrxc3xa9pusculexe2x80x9dxe2x80x941892. Rijksmuseum Krxc3x6ller Mxc3xcller, Otterlo
Georges Seurat. xe2x80x9cLa cxc3x4te du Bas-Butin, Honfleurxe2x80x9d 1886xe2x80x94Musxc3xa9e des Beauxxe2x80x94Arts, Tounai
It would be desirable to produce, from an arbitrary input image, an output image having similar effects or characteristics to those in the above list.
The object of the present invention is to produce a graphical effect of an output image having a limited gamut in accordance with predetermined requirements.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of automatically manipulating an input image to produce an artistic effect, the method comprising:
predetermining a mapping of an input gamut to a desired output gamut so as to produce a desired artistic effect, said desired output gamut being constructed from at least one sample image; and
utilising said mapping to map said input image to an output image having a predetermined output gamut.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of post processing the output image utilising a brush stroke filter.
Further, preferably the desired output gamut is constructed by mapping a predetermined number of input gamut values obtained from said at least one sample image to output colour gamut values and mapping a remainder of input gamut values to output colour gamut values by interpolation. The interpolation process can include utilising a weighted sum of said mapping of a predetermined number of input gamut values to corresponding output colour gamut values.
Preferably also, the construction of said desired output gamut comprises scanning the sample image to build a histogram of colors. The construction of said desired output gamut may further comprise mapping to compensate for a scanning device color gamut. The construction of said desired output gamut may also further comprise mapping to compensate for a printing device color gamut.